The Ultimate Mosquito Quiz

One of the most annoying and hard to avoid insects is the tiny mosquito. This insect, which is notorious for carrying serious diseases, can be found almost anywhere that a human can venture. Stopping over in a mosquito-infested area can turn an adventure into a nightmare in moments. Take our quiz to learn more about the mosquito.

Start Quiz »

You scored

0 out of 20

Question 1 of 20

What insect is considered the most dangerous to man by most experts?

killer bees (Africanized bees)

fire ants (genus Solenopsis)

mosquito (Diptera Culicidae)

Mosquitoes are considered by most experts to be the most dangerous insect to man. The danger of a mosquito is not its annoying bite, but the diseases that it can pass on to its host with a bite.

Question 2 of 20

What is a fact about mosquitoes that many people are unaware of?

Most species mosquitoes do not bite humans.

Most spices of mosquitoes are harmless to humans.

Most species of mosquitoes are harmless to humans, because they do not transmit disease. The itch from a mosquito bite is the only thing that you have to deal with or be concerned about when bitten by most of these insects.

Most species of mosquitoes can bite no more than twice before they die.

Question 3 of 20

What other agents besides mosquitoes carry and transmit viral encephalitis?

chigger mites

ixodid ticks

none of the above

Besides mosquitoes, the ixodid tick carries and transmits viral encephalitis to humans. Mosquitoes are the only agents that carry and transmit malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, and filariasis to man.

Question 4 of 20

Is there anywhere in the world that is mosquito free?

Yes, there are no mosquitoes in the world’s deserts.

The only places in the world that are free of any mosquitoes are deserts. However, mosquitoes can hang around in areas where desert is starting to give over to less arid areas and can make it to rock pools of water a mile or two into a desert.

No, mosquitoes are everywhere in the world.

Yes, there are no mosquitoes within the Arctic Circle as it is too cold.

Question 5 of 20

What is the highest altitude that mosquitoes have been found living successfully?

14,000 feet

Mosquitoes have been found living successfully as high as 14,000 feet. So forget that idea, as most of us are not in good enough condition to climb to a mosquito-free environment.

18,200 feet

20,400 feet

Question 6 of 20

How many known species of mosquito are there?

4000

3000

So far there are some 3,000 known species of mosquitoes divided into 100 large groups, know as genera. Mosquitoes have made some areas of the world uninhabitable by humans.

2000

Question 7 of 20

How many eggs do mosquitoes lay at a time?

100 to 300

75 to 250

50 to 200

Mosquitoes lay 50 to 200 eggs at a time, depending on the species. Mosquitoes can lay as many as 1,000 eggs a year for each female.

Question 8 of 20

What is the average life span of an adult female mosquito?

30 days or more

An adult female mosquito can live for 30 days or more. Once it bites, it will lay eggs and immediately resume seeking another host.

20 to 25 days

14 to 25 days

Question 9 of 20

What is the average life span of a male mosquito?

20 days or more

14 to 18 days

7 to 10 days

An adult male mosquito can live for seven to 10 days and never bites humans. Male mosquitoes feed only on plant juices and pollen.

Question 10 of 20

What is the scientific name of the common house mosquito?

A.albopictue

Culex pipiens

The scientific name of the common house mosquito is Culex pipiens. The yellow fever mosquito is Aedes aegypti, and the Asian tiger mosquito is A. albopictus.

culicidae

Question 11 of 20

From where does the name mosquito originate?

from Spanish for little fly

The name mosquito originates from the Spanish for little fly. The mosquito are true flies, having only one set of wings. Unlike other true flies, it has scales along the wing veins and on other parts of its body.

from Phoenician for tiny pest

from Latin for slow death

Question 12 of 20

During what part of the day are mosquitoes typically active?

Mosquitoes are active mostly during the day.

Mosquitoes are active mostly around early evening and nightfall.

Mosquitoes are active both night and day depending on species.

Some species of mosquitoes are active during the day and rest at night. Most species of Culex and Anopheles are active at night and rest by day.

Question 13 of 20

How is that annoying high pitched buzzing sound made by mosquitoes?

High-pitched buzzing of mosquitoes is made by the rapid beating of their wings.

High-pitched buzzing of mosquitoes is made by vibrating appendages that cover breathing holes in a female’s thorax.

The high-pitched buzzing of mosquitoes is made by the vibrating appendages that cover breathing holes only in a female’s thorax. It is not clear why female mosquitoes make a distinct sound that gives away their presence to their human targets. Perhaps it’s to raise your blood pressure to make feasting easier.

High-pitched buzzing of mosquitoes is made by their vibrating antennae as they excitedly home in on their prey.

Question 14 of 20

What is a common name given to mosquito larvae?

tumblers

flippers

wrigglers or wigglers

Mosquito larvae are commonly called wrigglers or wigglers because of the way they move when seeking food and when rising to the surface of stagnant water to breathe. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water and they will also lay eggs where water will eventually cover them.

Question 15 of 20

What do mosquito pupae eat for the few days before they are full-grown, rise to the surface and shed their skin?

algae

nothing

The Mosquito pupa does not eat at all. When a pupa is fully grown, usually in two or three days, it rises to the surface, splits its skin, sheds and then rests on the skin until its wings are dry enough for it to fly.

microscopic insects

Question 16 of 20

What is it that female mosquitoes require from humans in order to reproduce?

Female mosquitoes need only platelets from blood to reproduce.

Female mosquitoes need only red cells from blood to reproduce.

Female mosquitoes need only a single protein from blood to reproduce.

Female mosquitoes need only a single protein from blood to nourish their eggs to reproduce and the rest of the blood is simply discarded. The blood can come from humans, reptiles, birds or mammals.

Question 17 of 20

Why is it that you itch at the location where you suffer a mosquito bite?

A mosquito has a very dirty proboscis and the itch is your immune system attacking the germs inserted by the bite.

When a mosquito sucks your blood air is allowed into the wound causing an itch until your body clears the air.

The mosquito has two tubes in the proboscis, one injects a blood thinner in the saliva, which causes your itch.

The mosquito has two tubes in the proboscis. One injects a blood thinner in the saliva, which causes your itch. The other tube extracts thinned blood; some claim that allowing a mosquito to finish sucking and fly away will prevent itch, but who wants to help create another 200 or 300 mosquitoes?

Question 18 of 20

What disease-causing protozoan must go through part of its life cycle in a mosquito before it can infect humans?

malaria

The protozoan that causes malaria must go through part of its life cycle in a mosquito before it is able to infect humans. Bacteria and viruses enter a mosquito's body and multiply before they are transferred to other animals by a mosquito's bite.

dengue fever

viral encephalitis

Question 19 of 20

What is the most effective way to control mosquitoes and reduce their numbers?

Mosquitoes are best controlled by spraying insecticides over large population centers, their borders and water surfaces.

Eliminating marshes, swamps and other breeding spots is the best way to control mosquitoes.

Eliminating marshes, swamps and other breeding spots is the best way to control mosquitoes. Unfortunately, these locations are the most valued waterfowl and wildlife habitats and it is a bad idea to eliminate any of them.

Large scale spraying of water surfaces where eggs are laid is the best way to control mosquitoes.

Question 20 of 20

What is the most effective repellant base to discourage mosquito bites on humans and pets?

Methoxychlor

DEET (diethylmeta-toluamide)

Repellents containing a chemical substance called DEET (diethylmeta-toluamide) are effective when applied to skin and clothing. The best way is natural; wear thick clothing with long sleeves and hats with mosquito netting when fishing or traveling in the woods, put screens on your doors and windows and use mosquito netting over beds if you have mosquito problems where you live.